In a shocking turn of events, a murder suspect awaiting extradition to the United States has managed to escape from police custody in Kenya. The suspect, Kevin Adam Kinyanjui Kangethe, had been detained in Nairobi pending a ruling on whether he should be extradited to face a first-degree murder charge in connection with the death of his girlfriend, Margaret Mbitu. Mbitu's body was discovered on October 31, 2023, inside a car registered to Kangethe at Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts. The 31-year-old nurse had suffered massive slash wounds on her face and neck, as well as puncture wounds to her sides.

After the discovery of Mbitu's body, Massachusetts police immediately identified Kangethe as a suspect. However, he had already boarded a flight to Kenya, leaving authorities to coordinate with Kenyan investigators in an effort to locate and apprehend him. Finally, on January 30, 2024, Kangethe was arrested at a nightclub in Kenya, three months after the gruesome discovery at the airport.

However, the story took a dramatic turn when Kangethe managed to escape from police custody in Kenya. According to Nairobi police chief Adamson Bungei, the suspect ran out of a Kenyan police station and fled in a privately owned minivan. The circumstances surrounding his escape remain unclear, but four police officers who were on duty at the time have been taken into custody and are being questioned.

The escape has raised suspicions of corruption within the Kenyan police force, as similar incidents have occurred in the past. In 2021, another murder suspect, Masten Wanjala, who had confessed to killing 10 children, escaped from police cells in Nairobi and was later beaten to death by a mob. Police in Kenya have long been ranked as the country's most corrupt institution.

Authorities are now conducting a fresh search for Kangethe, as he remains at large. The escape has undoubtedly caused embarrassment for the Kenyan police, with Nairobi police chief Adamson Bungei expressing his frustration over the incident. He stated, "We have arrested the officers who were on duty when he escaped to explain how it happened. It is just embarrassing to us."

The search for Kangethe continues, with both Massachusetts police and Kenyan investigators working together to locate and apprehend the alleged murderer. The escape has highlighted the challenges faced in extraditing suspects between countries and the need for enhanced security measures to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.